To link to the entire object, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed the entire object, paste this HTML in websiteTo link to this page, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed this page, paste this HTML in website

i
LATINO PARENTAL ASPIRATIONS AND LITERACY PRACTICES
RELATED TO CHILDREN’S READING ENGAGEMENT
by
Gustavo Loera
_______________________________________________
A Dissertation Presented to
FACULTY OF THE ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
December 2006
Copyright 2006 Gustavo Loera

This mixed-methods study focused on motivation-related factors in Latino students reading engagement, specifically related to parental variables. The specific questions addressed included, how do Latino parents' aspirations and home literacy practices relate to their children's motivation to read? What are Latino parents' aspirations for their children's educational attainment? Using quantitative (structural equation modeling) and qualitative approaches (focus groups), these two questions were addressed using 128 Latino students (second to seventh grade) including their immigrant parents. The results indicated that parental literacy resources were positively related to their children's motivational outcomes. In addition, while parental involvement in reading was positively and significantly related to children's motivational outcomes, parental involvement in schooling was not significantly related. Overall, the results suggest that having more literacy resources (books) at home where children can access and choose them, as well as having parents engage in reading activities with their children, increases their children's reading engagement. In contrast, simply attending school meetings was not related. It was also found that these immigrant parents' held high academic aspirations for their children, expecting them to graduate from a university and work in a professional setting.; This study reaffirms the importance of parental and home influences on student reading engagement, both in terms of material resources (access to print materials) and parental involvement in specific reading-related activities. It also suggests that efforts to involve parents in a meaningful way might focus on improving print access and helping parents to engage in key reading-related activities at home. Simple attendance at school meetings as an index of parental involvement is not likely to lead to improved student engagement in reading and literacy. Finally, this study documented the strong parental aspirations' for their childrens' success, in contrast to some past perceptions that these parents are unconcerned with their childrens' academic success.

i
LATINO PARENTAL ASPIRATIONS AND LITERACY PRACTICES
RELATED TO CHILDREN’S READING ENGAGEMENT
by
Gustavo Loera
_______________________________________________
A Dissertation Presented to
FACULTY OF THE ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
December 2006
Copyright 2006 Gustavo Loera